Greets fm Co

Need to get some info fm ye old timers. I own a T/C Hawken .54 cal I built fm a kit about 20 yrs ago (30 some odd coats of hand rubbed oil finish). I used to be able to shoot 2 in gps at 50 yds and 5 in gps at 100 yds w/open sights. But now I've lost accuracy, I'm doing good to get 6 in gps at 50. I'm shooting the same loads, 100 gr Black Powder and a T/C MaxiBall or 80 gr BP w/round ball. I highly suspect leading as my problem.

1. What is the best method "to get the lead out"??

2. I've shot this gun about 100 times with lead conicals and round balls? How many times can I shoot lead conicals without leading problems??

3. Any other ideas??

Thanks Ray

Leading is unlikely unless you are past 1400 fps.

I would say there is no leading, never found any in any muzzle loader You might have done what was called "shot smooth" and need to roughen the bore. A dead smooth, shiny bore will lose accuracy.
Running a piece of Scotch Brite up and down the bore usually helps. The old timers would fill the bore with urine overnight. Vinegar works too. It is a strange condition and there is a vast difference between a nice smooth bore and a dead shiny one.
The lube you use can effect accuracy too. I have found that Young Country is the best. You need bite from the barrel but also need a lube that softens the fouling.
If you want to have fun, try to get a chrome plated bore to shoot good!

I have to say 100 shots should not have been enough to effect anything. Did you change powder brands? Did you change lube? Did you change caps? Did you change patch material? Has your vision gotten like mine?
Has the wood shrunk so the barrel keys are loose?
Then again, I have seen TC barrels that refused to shoot no matter what was done to them.

Did you ever shoot your rifle and not clean it for awhile?Not trying to be an ass.........just asking

Ray,
As previously mentioned...leading is not the issue from the loads you mentioned. More likely it is a build up of non-bullet related fouling from your lube/powder. The easy to say solution is to tell you to make sure you have the bore absolutely clean when you go to shoot next time. That can be tough to verify without pulling the breechplug, but you may find that necessary. You might be suprised how much crud accumulates without scrupulous cleaning. My own T/C Hawken is 30 yrs. old, No problems. I'm kinda "anal" about keeping her clean between uses. NO petroleum based lubes or cleaners. Blackpowder only...no modern "replacements".
Of course...the other very real possibility is to wonder if your own ability to shoot iron sights has degraded. Mine has....there are several "tricks" you can employ if that should be the case, now or in the future. None will get you back to those 20-yr. old eyes...but some might keep you shooting well enough to enjoy the old sights a few more years.

Thanks to all for replies. Greatly appreciated.
i always cleaned the gun thoroughly the same day as shooting, even after harvesting a deer one morning, I cleaned the gun before I butchered the deer. The only lubes I used were T/C approved/recommended lubes either all ready on or as I applied. I used boiling hot water and dish soap. I sort of laid the gun aside about 10 yrs ago when I experienced the problem mentioned. This is not a recent problem but I would like a "recent solution". I am just getting interested in MZs again, just bought a Knight Revolution. I hunt in both CO and NW TN. Thanks Again Ray

Check the lube on your maxi balls. If it is dried out, remove it and replace it. Don't believe them when they say it will still work when dry! I have bought new ones that were dry and lube was falling out in the box.

all good info above, study it and rule out all possibilities with your gun.. i only shoot lead and bismuth shot and patched round ball so this is not the rule of order here, but only some ideas... leading can be possible with pure lead bullets i am guessing,.. in my smoothbores with shot, leading is a real problem at only 1050 fps.. it may or may not be your problem, but it is in your best interest to find out if you do have it or not. fine steel wool with oil, on a tight patch will clean it up nicely and remove light rusting if that is evident.. one way to see what is going on down bore is takesome tc lube, thats thompson center yellow lube in the tube, and run a tight patch with it upanddown the bore.. if it keeps comeing (after several patches) out grey you have leading.. there are several ways to take out lead if you have or suspect it.. a bore brush with the old style hoppes 9 nitro solvent will take it out with some elboe grease, and no problem with the bore... becarefull of the muzzel and crown in all loading and cleaning proceedures if you want to keep the gun accurate.. i think the dry lube advice was probably good advice and could be a couse.. you can also get some klean bore cloth and that will remove anything including bismuth and the steel in your barrel i think, but it does work,, it never stopps removing metal so i use it rarely.. but it will take it out.. fine steel wool on a tight jag will get out serious leading.. only one of the above methods of cleaning it and shooting will tell you if it is leading. poor or old dry lube could possible cause leading.. is it possible you changed powder types or load amounts or cleaning/ wiping proceedure?? sometimes we think were doing the same thing we did a year ago but we are not.. if you havent fired many shots sharp rifling could pick up some lead and then it will keep smearing on those spots, decreasing accuracy.. this by no means is saying that leading is your problem, but you have to be the scientist, and search for the problem and the ways to prove what it is, or is not.. with round ball cold or dry weather can make fouling rock hard in some situations. realoading right after you shoot or wiping right after you shoot and reloading will keep fouling soft while you reload.. if the fouling is hard and the bullet slides over it then you have the possibility of blo by.. your bullet probably has a hollow base and that would expand past the hard fouling area IF your power is adequate to keep it expanded.. simetimes cold weather will decrease your power significantly and create problems, with both obturation and velocity/twist variations.. i doubht its twist rate decrease tho, but give her a good cleaning, take note of the temp and increase the charge some if you last shot in warm weather.. dave